


From My Heart to Yours

by Killerofchaos7



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters: Diamond & Pearl & Platinum | Pokemon Diamond Pearl Platinum Versions
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-06 22:58:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15895851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Killerofchaos7/pseuds/Killerofchaos7
Summary: This is the first story I've ever written like this. I usually create fanfic videos on Youtube but have never wrote out a fully-detailed story like this. Hope all you readers out there thoroughly enjoy what this piece has to offer. You can check out my Youtube channel for more fanfics that I've made in the past:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8pWp12kwy6nTW3pIBSAaxw?view_as=subscriber





	From My Heart to Yours

It was that time of year, once again. The townsfolk of Twinleaf Town had gathered together to host the annual Valentine's Day festival. It was an unusually warm day across the area, having reached well into the 70s during the early afternoon. The sound of cheerful music, various conversations, and laughter filled the air. Everyone appeared to be happy as can be…all but one individual, that is.  
  
Sitting far off in the distance from the bustling crowd was a young girl with long, midnight blue hair that was partially covered by her white beanie, wearing her usual pink and black miniskirt with a white undershirt and matching pink go-go boots. Unlike the majority of the townsfolk, she looked on at the events unfolding before her with a most pained expression; her eyes clearly showing evidence of her current mood. She seemed to have felt this way every year for the past couple of years after finally coming home from her journey in the Johto region.  
  
To her, it hadn't seemed like it was all that long ago since she finally won at the Grand Festival, making it the first time she ever became a Top Coordinator. She can vividly recall seeing the massive crowd, cheering loud for her and her Pokémon; chanting away her name. That day became marked as one of the greatest moments of her life; her biggest achievement that she had ever made. Despite the victory that she managed to clutch, it had not made her completely happy. One thing, or person, was missing that would've made the memory more joyful…  
  
Snapping herself out of that memory, her mind was back to focusing on that one particular person. A guy that she had wished would've been there to cheer her on during her Contests throughout Johto; the one person she knew she could always rely on to help her every step of the way and make her feel more confident than ever. This person meant more to her than anyone or anything in the world, and right now, she really wanted him to be here with her on this one day. It pained her just thinking about the fact that he was never around, anymore, having went off on yet another journey to someplace new. She would've taken the opportunity to travel with him back to his hometown in, Pallet Town, which was much like Twinleaf Town in almost every single way, and get to meet his mother, the other Pokémon that he had at Professor Oak's lab, and most importantly: Getting to travel with him in whatever the new region happened to be.  
  
That guy was Ash Ketchum.  
  
The very image of him appeared in her mind. His soft and warm smile, the way he would stare into her eyes, the voice she loved hearing from him whenever he was giving her courage and telling her how great she was doing in her Contests, and his well-toned body from all the traveling he had done in the past. That last part caused the girl to suddenly blush, admitting to herself of how handsome he looked to her.  
  
Her smile faded quickly when she realized how long it had actually been since she even heard anything from him. She was beginning to regret having ever taken the offer on the photo shoot opportunity presented to her and her Buneary. While she didn't want to ruin her Rabbit Pokémon's happiness of being able to participate in such, she couldn't help but realize what the consequences were behind her decision. Buneary had noticed it from time to time whenever she was out, sensing her Trainer's sadness whenever she got this way, and she couldn't honestly blame her for the emotions that were likely present in heart, swirling about within.  
  
She hated this. The past two times this event was held, the only thing she could feel was pain. There was nothing worse for her on this day than to feel alone and unwanted. Staring at all the happy couples out there only worsened the feeling, making her kick a nearby rock that was at her right foot. While she was upset of the situation she was placed in, she was also saddened, and it was for those reasons and more that she wanted nothing to do with this festival. Try as her mom, Johanna, who always hosted the event, might for the sake of cheering up her daughter, nothing seemed to work. She wished her daughter would stop moping around so much around this one particular day.  
  
But how could she? She had no date to be with; no one to tell how much she loved them. Not even her other friends were around to, at the very least, hang out with her. Sure, there were a few other guys that had nobody in particular, but considering her options, they were certainly a no-go.  
  
One of her best childhood friends, Kenny, was about as close as she could get to anybody, but she only saw him as that and nothing more, and besides. She had not forgotten the level of jealously he felt toward Ash before he left to head toward the Lily of the Valley Conference, which made her not consider him.  
  
Another was Barry, who was…well, how could she put it? A little too eccentric and rowdy, at times. He meant well and all, but his random nature and consistency of fining people over the smallest and trivial things didn't quite settle good with her. She couldn't quite make things work out with that guy.  
  
Then there was Conway; possibly the creepiest out of all the guys out there that she's ever met. His persistence of trying to force her into going out with him left her with much distaste, and even more-so when he would pop up from outta nowhere. The mere thought of that sent cold chills down her spine and left her in pure disgust. She could never see herself having a relationship with him.  
  
Last out of them was Paul, and she couldn't even fathom how things would work out between them. His uncanny hatred toward Ash in addition to his less-than-desirable attitude from back then was a definite no from her. Though he did finally change after having lost to Ash during the League for the better, which garnered some respect from her, she still couldn't see herself being with him. For all the times he treated Ash badly, she couldn't quite forgive him for that.  
  
Taking all of this into consideration, it was no wonder that Ash was the only one she'd want, but…where was he, and what was he up to, nowadays? Does he even remember her? Has he been…seeing any girl out there? She became frightened by the mere thought that another girl had claimed his heart, making her feel apprehensive. Dawn had one chance to confess to him before he and Brock left on the boat to head back to Kanto that one day, and again when she came to see him in Unova when the Junior Cup was being held, but neither times did she bring herself to tell him, for she felt nervous. She swore that the next time she saw him that she would bravely confess to him…That is, if he hasn't already gave his heart out to anyone else…  
  
  
  
"Are you going to sit around and mope all day like you've done the past two times?" Johanna said as she was approaching her. Spotting her mom walking towards her, she sighed, knowing what she was about to bring up.  
  
"Mom, I'm honestly not in the mood to discuss this, right now."  
  
"Now just because you don't have a date doesn't mean you should sit here, feeling depressed all day. Why not go out and enjoy some of the games that are being held?"  
  
"No, thanks. I don't think anything's gonna help what I'm feeling at this time." Dawn retorted as she rose to her feet, deciding to walk away.  
  
"Please, dear. Try to cheer up." Johanna pleaded, resting her right hand on Dawn's left shoulder. "Besides, I'm sure there's somebody here you can spend the day with. Why not the young man who lives a few blocks down the road, or maybe the girl you've been talking to from time to time?"  
  
"Just forget it, mom. I'm going back home."  
  
  
  
Without looking back, Dawn stepped away from Johanna, putting her hands in her skirt pocket as she walked away in a dejected manner toward the direction of the Berlitz household. Johanna could only watch in worriment as she placed her right hand over her heart, wishing there was something she could do to cheer her daughter up. She shook her head in disbelief and went back to the town plaza to continue doing what she had been doing all day.  
  
Luckily for the blunette, her house wasn't all that far away from the festival, taking no more than ten minutes to reach it. She unlocked the door with the spare house key she had on her and opened it, locking it behind her before she went upstairs toward her bedroom. She fell forward onto her bed, holding her pillow close to her. Several flashbacks of her and Ash went through her mind; each one unique but all of them pertaining to all the good times they shared together, the laughs and smiles, the times they battled side by side and won. If only they could do it all over again, but as it stood, right now…It didn't seem possible. She had no idea where Ash could be or where to start looking.  
  
  
  
"If only I knew. If only I had the answers I need, then I would go out of my way to see him again." She proclaimed as a few small tears escaped from her eyes. "I miss him so much, and it hurts my heart every time I think about the fact that he's away. I'll never be truly happy unless I had him back in my life."  
  
  
  
She gripped the bed sheets tight, burying her face into the pillow. How she managed to keep herself from falling apart, knowing this fact, after all this time was a miracle, but after the realization had hit her, she couldn't fight back to tears anymore as she burst out crying.  
  
"Why do I have to be alone!? What did I ever do to deserve this!? It's not fair! Everyone else out there has their special someone to be with, so why don't I!?" Throughout her outbursts, she was repeatedly slamming her fist hard on the mattress as she continued to cry out in anger and sadness.  
  
This was far more than she could possibly bear. How anyone could stand being lonely like this while having strong feelings for someone they haven't seen in so long was anybody's guess. She remained in her position for another hour before she had finally ceased her crying as she gradually got herself off of the bed. It was only nearly noon, and she figured that perhaps her mother was right about trying to enjoy the day, somehow. With that in mind, she regained her composure and headed back downstairs, deciding on what to do when she got back to the festival.  
  
Meanwhile, far off across the ocean, a certain someone was relaxing at his home in the quaint little area known as Pallet Town. The young man was laying stretched out across his bed, looking up at the ceiling with his electric partner curled up beside him. It had been a few days since he returned to the Kanto region from his Kalos journey. All of the memories of his adventures with his new friends and the battles he participated in including the final one against Alain and his Charizard were racing through his mind. It was an unbelievable experience; one of the best he's ever had, but now here he was, resting after the long and eventful journey he went on.  
  
His mother, Delia, was always happy to see her son bother coming back home to her after having finished each trip around a region. He may have only won the Orange Island League and the Kanto Battle Frontier, but she was still proud of him for working so hard and getting as far as he did in each major competition he entered. When she heard that he had nearly won the Kalos League, she couldn't have felt any more ecstatic over his victory, knowing her son was close to achieving his dream of becoming a Pokémon Master.  
  
As more thoughts of his most recent journey lingered about in his mind, he looked over toward Pikachu, and suddenly spoke to him.  
  
  
  
"Man, Pikachu. Traversing throughout the Kalos region had to be one of the most exciting journeys I've ever been on."  
  
"Pi pikachu (I couldn't agree more)." Replied the electric mouse, smiling at his Trainer.  
  
"To think: We came so close being number one. That's the closest we've ever been in any league, but that Alain…he sure was something. He and Charizard battling together makes up for one very tough pair to beat. I honestly thought Greninja and I had him there with that powered up Water Shuriken."  
  
"Pika. Pikachu pika (I know. They were very tough to beat.)"  
  
"Of course, close doesn't cut it. We both gave it our all, but in the end, Alain was able to prove himself to be the stronger Trainer. Honestly, I can't be upset at him. I've got so much respect for the guy, and he gave me even more reason to push myself harder for the next challenge. I just know that the day you, me, and whoever else joins us on our next journey enter the next league, we're all gonna win it, for sure! I just know it!" He exclaimed, defiantly raising his left fist in the air.  
  
"Pika, pikapi (We sure will, Ash)!" Pikachu nodded in agreement, feeling the same level of determination and spirit as the raven-haired Trainer.  
  
"Ash, I've got breakfast ready for you and Pikachu! Come to the kitchen!" Delia called out to him from downstairs as she was getting the table set up to serve the food.  
  
"Be right down, mom!" He answered back as he quickly hopped off the bed, racing toward the staircase with Pikachu in tow.  
  
  
  
A lovely aroma of his mother's famous buttermilk pancakes filled the air as he hastily made his way downstairs, being careful not to accidentally fall on his way down. He made a right turn and ran right into the kitchen as he took the seat that had his plate in front of it while Pikachu jumped up on top of the table at the spot where his dish waited for him. Without hesitation, Ash grabbed his knife and fork, eating away at his stack of pancakes.  
  
  
  
"Mom, you make the best pancakes ever. I could never get enough of these."  
  
"Aw thanks, honey. You know I always do the best I can." She clasped her hands in delight, smiling as she watched her son in amusement.  
  
"So, have you heard?"  
  
"About…what, exactly?" Ash replied in between bites.  
  
"There's a Valentine's Day festival taking place in Twinleaf Town. I saw it advertised earlier this morning on television."  
  
"Really? That's interesting." He said, paying only half-attention to what his mother mentioned since he was too busy stuffing his face with pancakes.  
  
"You know, this would be a great time to see you-know-who. She just might be there." Delia spoke in a sing-song tone.  
  
  
  
In an instant, Ash completely stopped what he was doing, knowing fully well who Delia was referring to. His mind shifted from his breakfast to that of the girl of whom Delia was hinting at. Several thoughts of her were suddenly going through his mind, knowing the face he was imagining all too well…  
  
"Dawn…" Her name echoed within his head. He couldn't help but think about the lovely blunette that he enjoyed traveling with during his Sinnoh journey. He had grown incredibly close to her; more than he ever did with any of the other girls that traveled with him. There was something so special about Dawn that he couldn't quite explain it in words, but whatever the reason, be it the unbreakable bond they shared between them, her ability to lift his spirits and supporting him every step of the way, her desire to do anything that she sets her mind to, he knew one thing was for certain. Much like Dawn, he, too, came around to developing the same kind of feelings as she did for Ash.  
  
While one would think that he never really paid much attention to it in the past, having been preoccupied by everything from his training sessions and battles to Pokémon in general, he honestly noticed the liking he was taking to the Coordinator. How could he ever forget all the times that they battled side by side and won, sharing many high-fives between them, the way she looked at him when he saved her from falling during the incident in Alamos Town and how thankful she was for saving her life, the time where she attempted to cheer him up after his devastating loss to Paul in their first full battle, and so many other moments? It was impossible for him to ever forget her, no matter how long it had been since he last saw her.  
  
In the midst of him relishing the sweet memories that he had of her briefly, he had been completely unaware of the quizzical expressions that both Delia and Pikachu were giving him.  
  
  
  
"Um, honey? Are you going to finish eating those pancakes? They're gonna get cold…" She spoke to him, placing her hands on his shoulders in worriment. This had finally snapped him out of his daydream.  
  
"Oh, uh…sorry about that, mom. Guess I got lost in thought for a moment there." Ash answered back, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.  
  
"Pika, pikapi (Are you okay, Ash)?" His little buddy answered, having stopped eating himself. Ash looked down at him, lovingly patting his head in reassurance that he was alright.  
  
"I'm fine, Pikachu. Don't worry."  
  
"Seems that what I said has you thinking about Dawn, hasn't it?"  
  
"Yeah. It's been such a long time since I've last seen her, and that was way back when she came to Unova during the Junior Cup. I can't lie about this, mom, but I really do miss her a lot. More than I realized." He looked down at his near empty plate with a serious expression worn on his face.  
  
"Then this would be the perfect time for you to head over to Twinleaf Town to go see her, then. It is Valentine's Day, after all. Maybe you could gift her something very special." Delia suggested, knowing fully well that her son had a thing for the blunette.  
  
Ash took in her words for a brief moment before suddenly standing up defiantly, looking toward his mother and gave her his trademark smile. "You know what? You're right. I think I will head over there. It's been too long, and I've been meaning to go see her again after all this time, anyway."  
  
Delia gave him a nod and smiled. "That's more like it, Ash, and if you want, I could give you a few suggestions on what you could give that I'm sure would really make her feel happy."  
  
"Sure. I'd really appreciate that. So, what do you think I should give her…?"  
  
  
  
Delia proceeded to list off a few things that came to mind on what Ash could get Dawn. He made note of her suggestions and kept them in the back of his mind for later. After having finished the last bit of his pancakes, he helped clean the dishes and table before heading back upstairs, getting himself prepared for the day. He decided that he would continue to wear the clothes he wore during his Kalos journey in curiosity of what Dawn would think of him in his most recent outfit. Figuring he'd stay over at her place for a couple of days, he went ahead and packed a few extra clothes and other personal belongings with him. It was only just now getting close to 11am (There's a roughly estimated 3-hour difference between Kanto and Sinnoh.), which meant that it would give him and Delia some time to stop by a local seasonal shop in town so Ash could buy whatever he wanted for Dawn.  
  
Delia and Pikachu waited on him for a bit before they suddenly saw him come back downstairs. They, along with Ash, left out of the house, getting into the car. She drove Ash toward the shop that was located in the center of town, arriving there in only about five minutes. When she pulled up to the front, she let him and Pikachu get out of the vehicle and head inside. Upon stepping inside, his nose was immediately greeted by the scent of applewood and cinnamon from the nearby scented candle display that was at the front door.  
  
He took a look around the store at the variety of products that were available from stuffed animals to gift baskets. With so many options to choose from, he felt somewhat overwhelmed but then recalled what his mother said he should try to get Dawn. Keeping the following in mind, he began to browse around in the shop for some time as he tried to make a decision on a few things that interested him. One item in particular caught his eye, which was a hand-made brown teddy bear holding a red heart that had the words "Happy Valentine's Day" threaded in pink. "I couldn't possibly pass up on giving her something this cute." He said to himself as he took it off the shelf.  
  
Not too long after grabbing the first item, he came across another display that had several rows of heart-shaped chocolate boxes. Each one was different in the assortment of chocolate flavors that were inside them. He couldn't quite remember if Dawn had any particular kind she enjoyed eating, but deciding to play it safe, he took the one that had mostly milk chocolates with a few having either white cream or peppermint in the center. On the front of the box he chose were the words "Sweets for My Sweet" printed in gold with a fabric life-like red rose placed in the top corner.  
  
After grabbing a couple of cards from another section of the store, he felt satisfied with what he had and took his items to one of the available cashiers at the counter. A young woman with long brown hair and blue eyes approached him.  
  
  
  
"Hi, there. I hope you found everything okay here." She said to him, giving Ash a cheerful smile.  
  
"Yeah, I sure did."  
  
"So, who are those gifts for, if I may ask?" The woman gave him a slight smirk.  
  
Her question caused him to blush a bright red, making him laugh in slight nervousness. "Eh hehe, they're for a real close friend of mine. I'm gonna go see her over in Sinnoh."  
  
"Aww, you're willing to travel so far for one girl. She's awfully lucky to have someone like you."  
  
"You bet, she is. I haven't been able to see her in so long, so I decided to make my return to her by giving her a Valentine surprise. There's a festival going on where she lives, right now. I'm gonna try to make it out there before it ends."  
  
"Oh, then you might wanna hurry, then. Wouldn't want to keep a young lady like her waiting."  
  
"Don't worry. I promised myself that I'm gonna get there on time. Won't we, Pikachu?" He asked his partner.  
  
"Pika, pikachu (You're right, we will make it)!" He replied back, doing a small fist pump.  
  
The woman looked at the Trainer, feeling happy to know someone who would go out of their way to do anything for someone they loved. She rung up the two items he had and calculated his total. "I wish you the best of luck. Now, then…Your total comes to $25.70."  
  
Ash took out his wallet, grabbing a twenty, five, and one dollar bill and gave them to the cashier. "Here, you can keep the change, by the way. I'm not gonna worry over thirty cents."  
  
"Aww, thank you. You be careful out there, and have a nice day." She told him as she put his items in a plastic bag, tying it up for him before giving it to him.  
  
Nodding to her, he grabbed the bag and walked away as he waved goodbye to her. "Thanks, and I will. Let's go, Pikachu. Next stop: The Vermilion City harbor."  
  
"Pika (Let's do this)."  
  
  
  
Exiting the shop, he got back into the car and was immediately taken toward Vermillion City. He had a quick discussion with Delia of what he bought Dawn in the shop as they went down the road. The drive had only took about 20 minutes until they were within the city limits, driving through downtown area. They pulled up to the parking lot designated for those who were planning on boarding the cruise ships, finding them a spot before getting out of the vehicle. They walked down the steps that led to the port area and looked around, noticing how much busier the place was due to the holiday. Ash turned toward his mother, wanting to share one last conversation with her before he left.  
  
  
  
"Well, this is it, mom. I'm finally gonna go see Dawn again."  
  
"I bet you're aflutter with excitement that this is really happening, aren't you?" Delia looked at him, giving him her usual smile.  
  
"Yeah, I am, though I'm admittedly a little nervous. I mean, it's been so long, and…well…" He briefly trailed off, holding up his bag of Valentine gifts for Dawn. "Here I am, going out of my to finally tell her how I had really felt about her after all this time. I just hope…she'll say yes."  
  
  
  
Understanding his uneasiness, Delia placed a hand on his left cheek and softly spoke to him.  
  
  
  
"Ash, I have every reason to believe that Dawn would feel so happy and touched by what you're about to do. I just know she's been wanting to see you so badly, and I'm most definitely certain that just like you, she's wondering if you'll ever tell her how you really feel. You have my promise on that, son."  
  
  
  
Hearing those words, Ash couldn't help but shed a small tear, knowing that she was never one to tell him any sort of lie. Whenever she spoke this way, he knew she was serious, and if she firmly believed that he and Dawn will be together, then she meant it. He wiped away the tear from his right eye and stared back at her, smiling at her.  
  
  
  
"You never do fail in knowing just what to tell me, mom. I just know that you're right about what you said. I believe in your words."  
  
"Now that's more like it. You're going to be fine out there. I know you will. She's going to be one very lucky girl when she finds out what her crush ends up telling her." A light giggle escaped from Delia's mouth, eliciting a similar reaction from Ash. Suddenly, the intercom came on, announcing the following message to everyone:  
  
"Attention, everyone. The cruise ship at Section C is ready for accepting passengers going to Sinnoh. Repeat: The cruise ship at Section C is ready for accepting passengers going to Sinnoh."  
  
"Looks like that's my cue to leave, now, but before I go..." He paused as his took out a Valentine card from his bag, giving it to Delia. The front of it saying "To the World's Greatest Mom" with the words on its inside showing: "You make me laugh. You make me smile. You make being your son worth my while. I love you. Happy Valentine's Day."  
  
"Aw, how sweet of you, dear. Thank you. Happy Valentine's Day to you, too." Delia said as she hugged him.  
  
"Welcome, always. I thought I'd give you a little something before I left on the ship."  
  
"It was very thoughtful of you. Now, you best get on board before it's too late."  
  
"Right. I better be on my way, now. I'll catch ya later, mom. Love ya." He looked back at her and waved as he started walking forward toward the ticket booth.  
  
"Pi, pika (Bye, Delia)."  
  
"Bye Ash and Pikachu. Stay safe out there, you two. Love you guys." Delia waved back as she watched him leave.  
  
"He's going to be okay out there. Dawn's in for a real surprise when she sees him again."  
  
  
  
Delia watched as her son headed toward the booth to purchase his ticket and then making his up the ramp onto the ship itself. She closed her eyes and placed her left hand over her heart, wishing Ash the best of luck with everything. When she was no longer able to see him, she turned around and walked back to her car. Meanwhile, Ash waited around before the ship was ready to leave, checking out a few things here and there as well as getting a good view of Vermilion City itself. He reminisced the day he first came to the city to challenge Lt. Surge and his Raichu, recalling how difficult it had been to battle them the first time before finally beating them during the rematch. It made him wish he could traverse Kanto all over again for another shot of winning the Indigo Plateau after coming so close to winning at the Kalos League. Suddenly, the intercom came on once more, announcing that the ship will be departing in five minutes.  
  
After those five minutes had passed, the ship began to slowly pull out from the harbor and into the wide ocean blue. The journey to Sinnoh was gonna take around 3 hours at the rate it was moving, giving Ash some time to mingle with a few people as well as engage in a few Pokémon battles that were being held inside. Halfway on its trip, he decided to stop at the buffet, relishing in all the delicious food that was present. He couldn't help but make himself an unusually large plate, garnering attention from a few people that questioned his hunger. Deciding to eat outside, he went back toward the upper deck and sat at one of the tables located on the far side of the ship, where he could enjoy the view of the ocean. As he ate away while giving Pikachu a few bites, he turned his gaze toward the sparkling sea. It was an incredibly relaxing sight to behold, hearing the sounds of the waves rolling and crashing about, the bird Pokémon that just happened to be passing by, and feeling the cool sea breeze blowing against him. He had nearly fell asleep from feeling so incredibly relaxed but was able to keep himself awake.  
  
In an instant, his mind painted an image of Dawn on the ocean's surface, wearing her unforgettably bright and beautiful smile and imagining her adorable giggling. He wore a sudden longing expression, wondering what she'd say when he would finally confess to her. Thinking back to what happened at the end of his Sinnoh journey, he started to heavily regret for not ever confessing to her like he wanted to. Why did he have to be so preoccupied with everything? Why did he hold back and not tell her when he had the chance just before he and Brock got onboard the ship? These thoughts caused him to mentally kick himself, feeling sorry for not having said anything sooner nor not noticing the signs she had likely been hinting at, but he was about to change all of that. At the first opportunity he had, he was going to tell her exactly how he felt about her…  
  
The trip lasted for another hour and a half before one could see Twinleaf Town's harbor as it slowly but surely came into view by around late afternoon. An announcement was made to all of the ship's passengers, letting them know that they had arrived at the destination. Gradually, the ship pulled in to one of the empty spaces at harbor and its ramp being dropped down, allowing everyone to exit off the vessel. As Ash made his way down, he noticed some large tents and balloons off the distance of where the aforementioned Valentine's Day festival was being held. He wasted no time in making headway toward the center of town in hopes that he'd run into Dawn when he arrived.  
  
Back at the event itself, Dawn had forced herself in trying to enjoy what all there was to do. She played a couple of games, watched a local band perform a few times, and even entered a lotto for a chance to win a trip for two to another far away region known as Alola. Despite all of this, she still wasn't fully satisfied as she began to wonder if she had just wasted her time. Letting out a small sigh, she took a seat on one of the many benches that were set out and looked onward in her current despondent mood.  
  
  
  
"Oh, what's the use? I mean, I feel kinda better after trying to enjoy the festivities here, but nothing seems to help. The more I look at every else out here having fun, the more lonely I feel." She spoke; the tone in her voice clearly evident of just how depressed this was making her as she put both of her hands on her cheeks, holding her head up slightly.  
  
"Maybe I really did make a mistake in coming back here. I'm not having as much fun as I thought I would…"  
  
  
  
While she continued to mull over her supposed regretful decision, an elderly lady that was familiar with Dawn had suddenly took a seat next to her and noticed the gloom expression that she was wearing. Wanting to help cheer her up, she began to converse with her.  
  
  
  
"Now why would Johanna's own daughter be looking this way? That's not the usual smile I see on you, deary."  
  
  
  
Her voice quickly interrupted Dawn's thoughts as she turned her head to her right side, recognizing who it was that was sitting next to her.  
  
  
  
"Oh. Hi, Cara." Dawn responded with no change in her tone from earlier. "I've been feeling pretty depressed, so far."  
  
"On a day like this? There's a whole festival that's going on with lots of people laughing and having the time of their lives."  
  
"I know what you're trying to get at, but it's just…I have nobody to spend this day with. Not even my closest friends are here to help make this better. I've already tried to enjoy a few of the things we have going on here, but none of them have helped my mood. There's only one person that could change all of this, but I have no idea where they are…"  
  
"I see where this is going." Cara responded knowingly. "You have someone special in mind that you wish was here to make this all better, don't you?"  
  
  
  
The blunette lightly nodded, confirming Cara's suspicions behind Dawn's unusual behavior. Cara took Dawn's right hand, holding it in hers as she gazed at her.  
  
  
  
"You must love this young man very much. I can easily see that for myself. He means a lot to you."  
  
"Yeah, you're right…More than you can imagine. He's the reason why my Sinnoh journey was the memorable thing ever. Without him, I would've never gotten as far as I did. I really can't thank him enough for everything that he does for me." As Dawn said this, Cara could hear her voice changed to something a little happier than it was just moments ago, giving her the edge she needed to lift Dawn's spirits up.  
  
"Sounds to me like he's one very special person to you. If I had to wager a guess, this guy sounds just like that Ash fellow that was with you when you came back Twinleaf Town that one day."  
  
  
  
Instantly, Dawn blushed upon hearing the assumption Cara made, realizing how obvious she just made things as to who her crush was. It was impossible for her to resist smiling a bit as she starting to feel a bit shy.  
  
  
  
"W-well, you definitely nailed that one…" She replied back in slight nervousness. Cara couldn't help but lightly chuckle at the reaction she elicited from Dawn.  
  
"You remind me of myself back when I was your age. It was a day just like this when I finally confessed to Izzy. You see, he was my high school crush, and I was always feeling nervous around him. While he didn't quite make it as obvious as I did, he had feelings for me, as well. We were always hanging out together, talking away about anything and just having the time of our lives…"  
  
  
  
As she listened to Cara's story, Dawn could only watch in surprise, realizing how similar this sounded to the way things were between her and Ash...  
  
  
  
"This went on for a long while until one day, he had to go overseas, leaving me all alone here. I cried so much, not knowing when he'd ever come back. I could only wish that someday, he'd return, and when he did, I would tell him how I felt. The one time I had developed the courage I needed to tell him my feelings, he was nowhere to be found. I was very slowly losing hope that he was never coming back; that I had lost the one person who meant the whole world to me and then some. It was a very troubling time that lasted for several months…"  
  
  
  
Dawn listened very closely, taking in more of the story as she was still being left in disbelief that just like her, Cara was suffering the same way. It was nearly enough to make her cry again.  
  
  
  
"Then one day, the very same holiday as the one we're in now, I sat down at the park all by myself, watching the other couples go about their business. It hurt me to see them happy whereas I couldn't have that same happiness. I spent almost the entire day in that one spot, not feeling like doing anything else. I was just about to get up and go back home when I heard an all too familiar voice call out to me. I looked over my shoulder, and there he was…The same man I feel in love with had returned. I couldn't contain myself as I cried out tears of joy, running up to him and hugging him as he hugged me back. The happiness I felt is something that's almost impossible to put into words. Then he took out a bouquet of red roses that he had picked up from the local flower shop and confessed to me. I was shocked by the fact that he had felt the same way as I did, and no sooner after that did I tell him that I loved him, too. It was one of the most wonderful moments I ever experienced in my life. To this day, I thank myself for doing what I did, and now look at us. We're a married couple and have stayed that way for several upon several years."  
  
  
  
The story had left Dawn nearly speechless. It was mind-blowing. What had happened to Cara at her age and the situation she was in was almost exactly the same as the situation she was in, now. Her mouth was left hanging open as she attempted to take in everything she just heard. This was even making her begin to wonder if, like Izzy, Ash really possessed feelings for her after all this time, too...  
  
  
  
"Wow, Cara…That sounds almost like…me. I had no idea…" She replied in disbelief as Cara simply smiled back at her. "So that's how you and Izzy became a couple."  
  
"Mhmm it sure was, and this story of mine is also proof that miracles happen every day, and if you want my honest opinion, I think your miracle is on its way much sooner than you think."  
  
  
  
Those uplifting words brought about a smile out of Dawn for the first time in a long time; her expression beaming like it used to and her eyes having that same sparkle in them. Admittedly, it felt good to be this happy again, and she couldn't be any more thankful for the conversation her and Cara had.  
  
  
  
"Thanks so much for talking to me, Cara. This conversation, and especially that story of yours, were just the things I needed to help me feel a lot better. I'm a lot more confident that things are gonna turn out okay, after all." She said to her as she stood upon her feet.  
  
"Anytime, Dawn. You just keep on smiling and don't lose faith, alright?"  
  
"I promise, and now I feel like as if Ash will show up here at any moment."  
  
"Perhaps he will. You never really know. It's like I said: Miracles happen. Anyway, I'm heading off, now. I promised Izzy I'd meet him at the ice cream vendor." Cara told her as she got up off of her seat, preparing to head toward the other side of the event to meet her husband.  
  
"Okay. I'll see you sometime later, then, Cara. Bye." Dawn waved as the elderly woman waved back. She stood at her spot, thinking over the story she heard. The Coordinator just knew she was gonna see Ash again, and if miracles like the one she heard about really do happen, then she believed it. She could feel it in heart that Ash was bound to return to her very soon.  
  
  
  
With her regained confidence and happiness, she proudly walked back to the festival and carried on about her business. She was no longer gonna let the other couples surrounding her bother her anymore. Amongst the crowd, Johanna saw that her daughter had returned and walked in her direction.  
  
  
  
"So, you finally decided to come back, and you're looking cheerier." Johanna said, placing her hands on her hips. Dawn nodded at her.  
  
"Yeah. I'm feeling a lot better after Cara sat down and talked to me. She brought up a story about how she was in a similar situation herself when she was my age, and when she thought things weren't gonna go her way, it all turned out perfect in the end."  
  
"Oh, did she? How wonderful. I'm glad she was able to snap you out of that dejected attitude you were having earlier. I've been worried about you all day."  
  
"I'm sorry for the way I acted. It was wrong of me to do that. You were only trying to help by being the caring mother that you are." She apologized as she gave her mom a hug as Johanna returned one back.  
  
"It's alright, Dawn. At least, you finally understand." As she looked up, she could've swore her eyes caught a brief glimpse of a boy with a Pikachu on his shoulder, looking around. Slightly shocked of the sight before shaking her head, she looked down at Dawn.  
  
"Mom, are you okay? You look like you just saw something that surprised you." Dawn questioned her mother's sudden actions.  
  
"I'm okay, but I think you're about to be in for a real treat." She winked at her daughter, leaving Dawn a little confused.  
  
"What do you mean? I'm kinda lost by what you just said."  
  
"Oh, you'll see for yourself soon enough. Now, I've gotta go and get things ready for later this evening."  
  
"Alright, see ya." Dawn said to her as she watched Johanna walk toward the main tent where the raffle prizes and such were located.  
  
"I'm about to be in for a real treat…What was she talking about? Dawn questioned herself as those words buzzed about in her head. Little did she know, she was about to get her answer.  
  
  
  
As Ash looked around, he tried to spot any girl that had long blue hair and a white beanie but to no avail. He had thought about going to Dawn's home but figured that she wouldn't be there by herself with an event like this going on. At this point, he was feeling a little lost in his search for her.  
  
  
  
"Man, where she could be? There's no way she wouldn't be here. Have any ideas, Pikachu?"  
  
"Pika (I've got nothing)." He replied back, shrugging his shoulders.  
  
"Well, we've already eliminated the possibility that she would be at her home, and I'm very certain she didn't go elsewhere in Sinnoh not to mention not being around at the docks. Otherwise, we would've seen her when we got off the ship, so she must be here…"  
  
  
  
Deciding to try one more, Ash put his focus toward the center of all the attractions that were around, keeping a very close eye out for Dawn. His eyes darted about as he tried catch any glimpse of her. After about a good minute of looking, his heart nearly stopped when he finally spotted someone that matched what he was looking for.  
  
  
  
"Wait! Could that really be…?" He said in hopefulness as he took a few steps closer, making sure that he wasn't seeing things.  
  
"Yeah, it is! That's Dawn! I've found her!" Exclaiming out loud as he ran towards her as fast as possible while being careful not to knock anyone over. "Dawn! Hey, Dawn! Over here!" Ash yelled out to her.  
  
  
  
Stopping dead in her tracks, Dawn swiftly looked around her, knowing the voice all too well.  
  
  
  
"A-Ash!? Was that really Ash!? No way…" She continued to look around her but was having a hard time seeing through the large crowd of people that was surrounding her. A few moments had passed before she suddenly saw what she believed was Pikachu on top of his head and quickly but carefully pushed through everyone, being polite by saying "excuse me" or "sorry."  
  
  
  
Ash noticed something strange about the way this one particular group of people in front of him was moving; as if someone was pushing through them. He soon saw for himself why as the blunette suddenly popped out into view, taking him by complete surprise.  
  
There the two were with neither one briefly moving toward the other as their eyes met, looking dead into each other in surprise. In an instant, they moved nearly simultaneously toward each other with arms wide open and smiling.  
  
  
  
"A-Ash! I can't believe it! You're here!"  
  
"Wow, Dawn! Finally! I found you!"  
  
  
  
The two embraced the other in a warm, tight hug as they held each other close. They couldn't believe that after all this time; a whole two years, they were finally with one another again. The feeling that the two were currently experiencing was almost indescribable, to say the least. Breaking away their hug, Dawn stepped back a couple of times as she looked up at him.  
  
  
  
"This is…so crazy. You actually came back, and good to see you, too, Pikachu." She said, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
"Pi, pika (Likewise, Dawn)."  
  
"No doubt that it is. I've missed you a lot since we last saw one another in Unova."  
  
"It's been, what, at least a couple of years since I saw you? Time sure has went by fast." She took sudden notice of Ash's clothes, not recognizing them to be same ones she saw him wear before.  
  
"I see that you've got a new outfit on ya. I'm assuming Delia made this one for you, too?"  
  
"She sure did. Mom made it out for me before I went to Kalos: My most recent journey."  
  
"She definitely did a great job on it. You look so handsome." Dawn told him but suddenly realized what she said, quickly covering her mouth in embarrassment as she turned away from him, blushing heavily. This took the raven-haired Trainer by surprise as he blushed a bit himself.  
  
"Yo-you really…think so?" He said back to her in a sheepish manner. Dawn turned back to him; her face still covered but only a bit and blushing.  
  
"Y-yeah. I mean, it really suits you."  
  
"You've changed some yourself, I see. You're still the same pretty girl from before." Ash noticed that her hair had grew a little longer and grown a little taller than before as she was taking on a bit of a curvy figure. He didn't care that he just told her that she was pretty. It was the honest-to-Arceus truth that Dawn was a lovely individual, and still was. Dawn giggled back at his compliment.  
  
"Aww, thank you. That's real sweet of you. So, Kalos was your most recent journey, huh? How was it?" She asked as she finally calmed down some.  
  
"It was real swell. Easily one of my most exciting journeys ever and nearly won the league, this time. I placed second this go around."  
  
Dawn gasped, having not known how close Ash was to actually winning a league, this time. "Whoa, only second place!? That was a close battle you must've had during the final match!"  
  
"Not just close but incredibly intense. The craziest one I've had in a long time since my second full battle against Paul, and you saw how that was." He answered, thinking back to the action-packed match that took place between him and his former rival. "What about you? I hope all went well for ya during you Johto journey."  
  
"It did, Ash, and in case you're wondering, I finally did it. I was able to win at the Grand Festival and became Top Coordinator." Dawn said. Her face practically beaming at the thought of the victory she managed to claim.  
  
"Wow, really!? Way to go, Dawn! I knew you had it in ya to win! When it comes to Coordinators, you're number one in my book!"  
  
"Pikachu (She really is)!" Pikachu agreed as he gave a thumbs up.  
  
"Thanks. It wasn't easy, but I finally did it, and all that it took aside from my hard work with my Pokémon was thinking about you always encouraged me and gave me support. I thought about those words and kept them in my mind as I pushed through." Her voice became more soft as she spoke.  
  
"Right because you know how much I kept supporting you through all those tough times in the past and everything that we did to help you out, and obviously, the things you did for me for my gym battles. We work so well together."  
  
"You're correct about that, Ash. We seem to be at our best whenever we give one another that needed push during the most critical times." There was a brief moment of silence between them as the two thought back to all of their tag team battles, the training they've done, and the support given to one another during their contests and gym battles. The silence was suddenly broken when Ash's stomach suddenly growled.  
  
"Oh, boy…Looks like I've gotten hungrier than I thought I would, and I ate so much food on the way over here." Dawn could only shake her head, knowing that some things never do seem to change, and Ash's hunger was one of those, though she did find it cute from time to time whenever he got this way.  
  
"Still the same hunger, as always. Well, you're in luck. This festival has a lot of food vendors you can go to, and I happen to know the perfect one for you."  
  
"Alright, then lead the way, Dawn! I can't wait!" He said in triumph as he felt Dawn grab his hand, blushing more as he looked down at it. He always loved how soft and warm to the touch she felt, and it made him wish they could've done this sort of thing more back when they were traveling together. The same could be said for Dawn, loving the idea of being able to hold Ash's hand in hers. A simple action yet it brought about a great deal of emotion.  
  
  
  
She led him through the bustling crowd toward one of the larger vendors that were out there. The stand served everything from hotdogs to steaks with side orders that one could choose from, as well. Ash and Dawn waited in line until it was their turn, placing their orders and paying for them. They only had to wait a few minutes until their orders were ready, finding themselves a table to sit down at. When they got seated, Dawn decided to bring out her Buneary, remembering how, like her, she had missed seeing Pikachu a lot. She brought out the Rabbit Ear Pokémon, who, upon seeing Pikachu, was elated with much happiness and bounced her way towards him, enveloping Pikachu in a tight hug. The Electric Mouse gave her a hug back, snuggling up to him. Their Trainers looked at the two in awe before eating as they discussed more about what all they had been up to.  
  
  
  
"Yikes, that's insane! There was another evil organization you had to deal with, and they wanted to rid the world of all everyone who opposed them of supposedly creating a more "beautiful and perfect" world!?" Dawn yelled out of shock.  
  
" 'Fraid so, and they almost got away with it, too, but thanks to everybody that pitched in, we were able to stop them before things really got out of hand. All of that happening just after the league was over, too."  
  
"I can't imagine how frightening the situation must've been, but knowing you, you'd do anything to help save everyone, people and Pokémon alike." She assumed, recalling his usual reckless nature that would typically get him in trouble but admired that bravery and knew that he was only doing what he does best.  
  
"True, I do. It always seems like I'm playing hero, no matter where I go." A nod was given to him by Dawn.  
  
"So, how's the food? Do I know how to pick them out, or what?"  
  
"This has to be the best steak burger I've ever had! I'm glad I got here before the vendor ran out of them! You sure did make a smart decision, Dawn!"  
  
"Thanks, Ash. I can say the same about these hotdogs. When it comes to cooking, you won't find anything better around here than what Twinleaf Town serves."  
  
"Wouldn't put it past you on that, Dawn." He said as he finished up the last bit of food on his plate and drinking the remaining soda in his cup.  
  
"When we're both done, we can go check out and play all the games that are here. Some of these are really fun to play."  
  
"Well, you know this festival better than I do. I only knew about it because mom saw it advertised on television back at home and then told me about it."  
  
"Oh, I was wondering how you knew about this. That makes plenty of sense."  
  
  
  
They carried on their conversation while Ash waited on Dawn to finish her food. Then, the pair got up and left with Pikachu and Buneary following behind. They played a variety of games from fish netting to ball toss, earning themselves small prizes like charms and collectibles. At one point, Dawn separated from Ash to play one game in particular in an attempt to get him a Valentine gift, seeing as though she had not expected him to show up and did not want to be empty-handed. She managed to win a special watch with a pokéball in the center and the words around the face that said "Gotta Catch'em All." It was the best she could do for a last-moment gift and decided to make this be the something she'd give him. Making certain Ash didn't see her, she snuck it into her pocket and went back to meet up with Ash and the rest, continuing on for another couple of hours until it was about 6 p.m. when the sun was beginning to set.  
  
By this time, Dawn felt like it was now or never. She promised herself she was going to confess to him. There was no turning back by this point. For the sake of herself and Ash, she was going to tell him. She thought up of a place where she and Ash could have some privacy before going over to him where she found him watching a dance performance taking place between two Coordinators and their Pokémon, showing off their beautiful moves. He, along with the rest of the crowd, gave a huge round of applause for the spectacular show they just gave out. Dawn let him finish before she asked him the following question.  
  
  
  
"Whoa, man. That was amazing. They sure did know how to entertain the masses, didn't they?" Ash said to Pikachu and Buneary, who were both huddled together.  
  
"Buneary (They sure did)."  
  
"Pi pikachu (It was one of the best shows ever)."  
  
  
  
Dawn was directly beside Ash, now. She could feel her heart beating fast. This was a little more nerve-racking than she thought it'd be, but she wasn't going to back down, now. Now was her chance. She poked Ash on his left shoulder, gaining his attention.  
  
  
  
"Hey, Ash. Can I…possibly get you to come with me for a moment? I need to say something to you in private."  
  
"Oh, sure. No problem. We'll be right back, you two." The two partner Pokémon understood and watched as their Trainers walked away. A part of them knew that just maybe, they were about to confess to one another. They had waited patiently for the day Ash and Dawn would finally tell each other they loved the other person, having sensed the feelings both individuals had and all the times where they were clearly told that one liked the other.  
  
  
  
Dawn walked Ash toward a nearby field with a cherry blossom tree that stood by its lonesome in the outskirts of town. Thanks to the unusually warm weather, it was already blooming with several bright pink flowers throughout; a few of which the petals were already falling off. One could barely hear the music and chattering from the people at the festival, giving them the perfect quiet spot. She stood on one side of the tree with Ash on the other. Taking in deep breath and keeping her cool, she looked at Ash and clasped her hands together, holding them near the bottom of her skirt as she shuffled her feet a bit. Ash stared back her, awaiting her words. His mind suddenly thought about the possibility that Dawn was about to…"No way, is she about to do what I think she's going to?" He asked himself in his mind. He was half certain that she wasn't going to actually confess to him right here and now, but another part of them told him that this may very well be what she's up to.  
  
  
  
"Alright, so what is that you wanted to say to me?" He said, not averting his gaze from hers. Dawn gulped a bit and began to open her mouth, preparing to give him an answer. I can do this…I can do this. The words repeated in her head.  
  
"The thing is…Ash. It's been a long time since you and I first met each other. I was just starting my journey in Sinnoh as a beginning Trainer. I had no idea what to expect when I started traveling, and I had already ran into so much trouble, what with Team Rocket trying to steal your Pikachu and all. I remember when you first appeared and how brave you were to jump into the face of danger without any regard of your own safety. I could only watch in amazement as you leapt so far in the air just so you could save Pikachu. That sort of bravery is something I've always admired about you amongst other things…"  
  
"Right…" Ash nodded, motioning her to continue.  
  
"A little after that incident with Team Rocket when we were finally setting out on our journey together, I knew right there and then I met someone who was truly amazing. Someone that I knew I was going to share lots of special memories with and make the journey worth my while. Honestly, I couldn't ask to have anyone else to travel with me and teach me the things that you did. I thoroughly enjoyed everything that we did together and the times you gave me the strength and confidence I needed to push myself harder and never give up. You shaped me into a stronger person and inspired me to do so much more with myself. Without you, I know for a fact that I would've been a broken mess. I would have never become the great Coordinator that I am, now, and my dream would have never been realized. You're…"  
  
  
She spoke as she took Ash's hands in hers, lightly squeezing them  
  
  
  
"…The best I've ever had in my life, and I never wanna let you go. Ash, you're the kind of guy who means the entire world to me and then some. Somebody I could trust with my heart. A person that I could always rely on. You always know just what to say to comfort me and make me happy simply by being next to you. Why, any girl in her right mind would do anything to have someone like you with them. When we separated on the day you and Brock were leaving to go back to Kanto, I nearly broke down and cried so much. I had no idea when you were ever gonna return or when I'd see you again. When we met up once more in Unova, I couldn't have felt any happier than I did when I saw you again. Of course, our time spent together only lasted a few days, but my trip there was well worth every moment I got to spend with you."  
  
  
  
Ash couldn't have possibly been any more shocked than he currently was. His suspicion was right. Dawn was planning on confessing to him, and not just that, but finding out how much she loved him was even more shocking. He had no idea her feelings for him were this strong. It was almost unreal. He swore he was dreaming the whole thing but knew that this was no dream, by any means.  
  
  
  
"But anyway, I didn't know what to do with myself when I got home a little after you left. I cried myself to sleep that night because I…I…" It was beginning to get a little difficult for her to speak as she was getting choked up, being reminded of the painful moment she experienced. Ash carefully grabbed her shoulders and softly rubbed them, looking deeper into her eyes.  
  
"Yes...?" He whispered to her, hoping she'd say what he was expecting. He could see that she was on the verge of crying.  
  
"I had feelings for you; strong feelings, at that. I was…so angry with myself because I had all that time to tell you, and yet I was too afraid to even say a word about it. It was the biggest…mistake I had ever made with myself. I wanted to tell you before you left that day, but…I guess I wasn't brave enough, back then, and I was even more upset when I didn't confess then in Unova. Why didn't I do it, I asked myself. Why did I tell him that I loved him when I had the chance? It was…making me…feel…so mad…"  
  
  
  
By this point, it was impossible to hold back as Dawn burst into tears, hugging Ash tight once more. She bawled out as she buried her face into his chest. Instinctively, he hugged her back as he caressed the back of her head.  
  
  
  
"Dawn, please. Don't cry…It's okay. I'm here, now." He spoke to her in a soft, caring whisper. The same kind that she always loved hearing out of him whenever he got this way around her. He could feel her gradually wet his vest from all the tears that had escaped out of her eyes. She pulled away from him and looked at him once more; her eyes now tear-filled with sadness. She regained her composure and spoke once more.  
  
"I'm not gonna hold back, anymore. You need to know, right now, what I'm about to say. I won't beat around the bush any longer, but Ash…I" She inched herself closer to him, tightening her grip a bit around him.  
  
"I…lo-love you. From the bottom of my heart, I truly do. I love you more than anybody else ever could."  
  
  
  
She confessed bravely with a hint of confidence in her words. Ash knew it from the very moment she had rambled on about how she wished she hadn't been too afraid to tell him how she felt. He was more surprised that her confession didn't blow his mind, but given the current situation, it made sense as to why. She was in tears, holding onto him, telling him all of her secrets about her feelings towards him. It seemed natural that it wouldn't be anything surprising, by this point. He embraced her for a little longer before letting go, looking down at her.  
  
  
  
"S-so…that's it. That's what I…wanted to tell you, Ash." She quivered. "Do you…love me back?"  
  
"There's only one way to answer that, Dawn." He told her as he took off his backpack. Opening it up, he pulled out the bag of gifts he got her from earlier in the day. The first one he gave her was the card with "To My One and Only" inside a white-laced heart and inside were the following words:  
  
  
You're all that I want; my complete satisfaction.  
  
My one true powerful and meaningful passion.  
  
Let's be together, remaining by each other's side.  
  
And one day traverse the world far and wide.  
  
I promise unto you; for worse or better.  
  
I will always love you; now and forever.  
  
  
The next was the box of chocolates he had got her, opening its lid to show her what was inside, and finally giving her the bear that he had chosen. Dawn dropped down in disbelief of the gifts he had given her, carefully looking at each one. Had he planned all of this from the beginning? Is this really happening, right now? She kept asking herself questions like this within her thoughts as she wiped her tears away, giving Ash the biggest and most beautiful smile ever.  
  
  
  
"Ash…these are the best gifts I've ever gotten from anybody. No one's ever gave me things like this before. Thank you so much. I, um…actually got you something, too. It's not much, but I hope you'll like it." She told him as she reached into her pocket, pulling out the watch she had won and gave it to him. Ash smiled as he looked it, admiring a gift from someone like her. He removed it from its box and wore it on his left wrist. It was a perfect fit on him.  
  
"This is great, Dawn. Thank you. That really means a lot, and I've…got something of my own that I wanna say to you, too." Reaching out with his right hand, he softly stroked the side of Dawn's face, getting himself ready to say his confession to her. She looked at him with a loving expression, enjoying the feel of his fingers brushing alongside her face.  
  
"Yes, Ash? What did you wanna say to me?"  
  
"Ever since you first joined me on my Sinnoh journey, something told me that you and I were going to become the best of friends, and that couldn't have been any more true than that. Out of everyone that I've traveled with, you're, without a doubt, the closest I've ever grown to. I really can't thank you enough for everything that you do for me. Like you, I really don't believe I would ever made it like I did in my Sinnoh journey if I never had you around in the first place nor would I had ever become the strong Trainer that I was by the time the Sinnoh League came around. When I was broken mess after being beaten by Paul in our first full battle, you went out of your way to try to cheer me up, and that honestly made me feel so much better. When I was having so much trouble in my first gym battle against Roark and again when I faced Fantina, you gave me inspiration to do something I never thought of doing, and I was able to win in both gyms. I wouldn't have ever had the skills that I got now if it weren't for you. You're more than just a best friend; so much more. You're the most amazing girl I've ever got to meet in my life."  
  
  
  
Hearing this made the girl gasp in amazement. She had never thought she'd see the day that Ash would say that she was the most amazing girl he ever met. Her heart skipped a beat at the mere mention of such. Her eyes were beginning to tear up again only this time, they were that of joy.  
  
  
  
"A-am I really?" She softy spoke out to him unable to fight back the tears once again. Ash carefully wiped them away and nodded to her.  
  
"Of course, you are. I couldn't possibly make up something like that even if I wanted to. No one else in the world possibly compares to you. You do things to me like no one else does, Dawn. That makes you very unique amongst the other girls. Not only are you out-of-this-world amazing, but you're also the most beautiful person I've ever laid eyes on. I can never get enough of staring into those gorgeous sapphire blue eyes that I always get myself lost in or that wonderful smile that never fails to make me smile right back whenever I look at it. You're like the angel of Sinnoh that walks upon this earth."  
  
  
  
Dawn giggled at his compliments. She couldn't believe how highly he thought of her, which was making her blush an extremely bright red. Not wanting to interrupt him, she gave him a quick nod to keep going.  
  
  
  
"A part of me truly regrets for not ever saying this sooner, but just like you, Dawn, well…I've…I've been feeling the exact same way about you as you have…about me. I'm so sorry that I never took the time to tell you this until now, but I honestly didn't know what you'd think if I had told you this, back then. I wasn't any braver about it than you were, to be honest. The incredible friendship that you and I shared is something that I didn't want to ruin between us, which made me feel afraid to bring this up. When I left you that evening to head back home, I kept wonder about this nagging feeling in my heart. At first, I thought it was just the fact that I was gonna miss you so much and that I was feeling emotional pain because of it even though it didn't seem like I was all that depressed about my departure. When I got finally got back home, that pain only seemed to worsen. I knew then that I made a grave mistake by not ever telling you how I felt. It kept eating away me for so long that it took me several weeks before I could even have the motivation to travel again. I had nearly lost all will to keep going on anymore journeys if it meant not having you around. There were times where I sat down and cried over the fact that I never told you when I had the chance. It made me become disappointed in myself. All I could ask was: Why? Why didn't I tell her? What's wrong with me? Even when I finally did go on my Unova journey, these questions still haunted me especially when I was asleep. It was bad enough that I suffered through it the first time but worst the second time after you had left from Unova when the Junior Cup was over. I had nightmares of what my life would've been if I had never met you or losing you to someone else. It frightened me so much."  
  
  
  
Dawn looked at him with a sudden pained expression. He was suffering no differently than she did. She cupped his cheeks, staring at him.  
  
  
  
"Ash..." Was all she could muster to say as she mimicked his actions from earlier, stroking his face. He simply shook his head and continued.  
  
"But none of that bothers me anymore now that I'm here with you. I'm finally getting the chance to let you know what I truly think of you and to tell you that I…" He stared at her intensely, placing his hands on her shoulders once more. "I love you, too, Dawn. There's no hiding it from you, now. I need you in my life more than ever. You're the most important person to my heart and soul, and Arceus forbid that I ever lose you. You're more than just my world; you're the entire universe, and I promise to you from this day forward that I'm never gonna stop loving you. There's not a doubt in my mind that you're the only girl this guy ever needs. I mean all of this a lot. Don't you ever forget that."  
  
  
  
The Coordinator just stood in complete and utter shock, unable to find the words she wanted tell him. Ash Ketchum had just confessed to her in the most touching, beautiful, and heart-warming way possible. She honestly didn't know how to reply to that. It was at that moment that there was but only way she could tell him, and that was through action.  
  
  
  
"Um, Dawn? Are you okay? Why are you suddenly spac-…" He was unable to finish his sentence as he suddenly got pushed down onto the ground with the blunette laying over on top of him. She looked down at him with a loving smile before she closed her eyes, leaning forward to lock lips with his. Ash wasn't sure exactly what to do, at first. He had never been kissed this way before, but he decided to follow his instinct and simply let nature take its course.  
  
  
  
When her lips barely brushed his, he could feel her warm breath on his face; the beating of her heart against his chest. Without really knowing it, he was wrapping his arms around her as he closing his eyes. Dawn suddenly crushed his lips onto hers, creating what felt like several sparks flying about between their mouths. Her warm, wet supple lips felt so good against his that he couldn't help but passionately kiss her as if he had been doing it many a time before. The sweet taste of their kiss left them craving for more as they were hungrily making out with one another while letting light moans escape from them. Suddenly, feeling bold, Ash just barely stuck his tongue out and guided it across her lower lip. In response, Dawn teased him a little before letting it slip into her mouth. Their tongues instantly engaged in a bout against one another for dominance as Ash and Dawn began frenching each other. It was next to impossible to melt any further into the other's kiss even if they wanted to, by this point, but Arceus, did this feel incredible to both of them. The blunette proceeded to slide her hands further down across his upper back, rubbing it while he slid his down toward her lower back, giving it a relaxing massage. The two felt like as if they were in pure heaven; their entire world coming to an absolute standstill around them. The sensation, the needing and wanting, and the love the two were feeling…it was unlike anything they've ever experienced. They swore they could go on for several hours non-stop. Neither of them were willing to break away as new waves of pleasure washed over their bodies that only further heightened their arousal. More of the petals from the cherry blossom tree suddenly began to fall as a light breeze blew in, making it appear as though snowflakes were falling. It was the most breathtaking and beautiful scene anyone could have possibly ever witnessed.  
  
This special moment seemed to have lasted an eternity before the two were finally forced to break away for air. The kiss had left them breathing hard between them as they looked at one another, giving the other their trademark smiles. Dawn rolled over to Ash's left side while still facing him to which he pulled her up against him. He playfully tickled her sides, eliciting her adorable giggling as she tried to tickle him back. There they laid, squirming about as they continued their tickle war until they stopped, having not fully recovered from their make-out session as they were attempting to catch their breath again. When they finally did, they faced each other with Ash being the first to speak.  
  
  
  
"Dawn, this has been the best Valentine's Day I've ever had, and not just that, but the best day ever, period." He whispered into her ear.  
  
"Mmm oh, Ash. I could say the same thing. You've made this girl very happy; more than I thought possible." She said back to him in the same manner. "I wish we could stay like this forever."  
  
"I do, too." Ash looked down at her as he softly brushed the individual strands of Dawn's hair across the top of her head.  
  
"As much as I'd like that, we should really think about heading back. It's a little after 7 p.m. Mom's gonna wonder where I'm at, and besides. The winners for the raffle contest are supposedly gonna be announced in a little bit."  
  
"Oh, right. You were telling me about that earlier. Let's head back, then." He responded as he stood up, helping Dawn rise to her feet and held her left hand.  
  
  
  
She placed her gifts inside her bag that she usually carried around while she waited on Ash to get himself ready. Holding Dawn's hand with his right, they walked back to the festival with their heads resting against the other's. Spotting their Trainers' return, Pikachu and Buneary followed close behind, mimicking the two's actions by holding each other's paws. No words were spoken between them while they were on their way, for they didn't need to speak such. The sounds of nature surrounding them was all that they needed before entering the town. As they stepped toward the center of the area, they saw Johanna with a microphone, standing next to a box that had a pile of people's names written on folded paper as she was about to announce the winners.  
  
  
  
"Alright, everyone. I hope you're all listening because I'm about to announce the names of our winners who entered our raffle. There are three that will be chosen for our big prizes and the other seven for the small ones, so here we go. Our first prize to give away is an entire year's worth of specially prepared Pokémon food, and that goes to…" She reached down inside the cage, rummaging through the folded pieces of paper until she picked one.  
  
"Shawn McMillan! Come on up!"  
  
  
  
A young man standing around Ash's height with long-ish brown hair and blue eyes approached the front as the audience applauded for him, taking his picture with his prize. Johanna then reached back inside the cage to draw out the next name.  
  
  
  
"This next name that I draw will earn somebody a chance to relax at Twinleaf Town's very own spa for a week free of charge as well as receiving this Valentine gift basket. That lucky winner is…Marcy Goodman! Step forward, please!"  
  
  
  
Again, the audience applauded as a lady with blonde hair bunched up into buns and green eyes walked up to the stage, claiming her prize as she turned around to have her picture taken as well. After she left, Johanna went to draw a name for the last and most highly anticipated big prize of them all.  
  
  
  
"This is it, folks. The last prize is the one I'm sure many of you entered this raffle for. Whoever's name I draw will be getting the opportunity to spend an all-expense paid trip for two to the beautiful far-away region of Alola on Melemele Island! Aaannnd the winner of this particular prize goes too…"  
  
  
  
As she stuck her hand in the cage, all eyes were looking intensely at the names being rummaged through, wondering just who was gonna end up claiming the prize. The air was thick with high anticipation with nary a sound coming out from anyone. Finally, Johanna picked a name and opened up the paper to see who had won. She was taken aback by whose name it was that she had drawn.  
  
  
  
"Oh, gosh! Well, this is definitely a surprise! Folks, the winner of this prize that I have drawn is none other than…My very own daughter, Dawn!"  
  
  
  
Dawn gasped as she briefly stood in place, feeling bewildered that she actually managed to win the last of the big prizes before shouting out loud in victory, running up onto the stage to claim her tickets. She ran toward Johanna and gave her a huge hug as she gave her the tickets. As the two waved out to the crowd, Ash couldn't help but run up on the stage with Dawn to celebrate with her as did the two partner Pokémon. Noticing someone approaching where she and Dawn were standing, Johanna looked to her left side and was shocked to see none other than Ash himself. She smiled at him as she waved, knowing the fact that she actually did see him earlier. The former Coordinator stepped to her side, allowing Ash to stand beside Dawn as he gave her a warm hug, who hugged him back and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek while getting one back. Pikachu and Buneary jumped about in a circle, paw in paw as they briefly kissed one another much like Ash and Dawn. This had initially taken Johanna by surprise, not believing what she had just saw Ash and Dawn do but then sighed happily at them as she placed her hands over her chest, smiling at the young couple. She had a feeling Ash was gonna make Dawn's day turn out unforgettable and amazing. She's always trusted the young man to be with her own daughter, taking good care of her back when they were traveling together. In all honesty, she was wondering when the Trainer and Coordinator would get together, and she couldn't be any happier for her own daughter.  
  
The festival went on for one more hour before it was time for the event to be over as the sky began to grow darker now that the sun had sank below the horizon. A clean-up crew came by to aid in clearing out all the trash, taking the tents down, removing all the folding tables, chairs, benches, and such that took no more than forty-five minutes to do with the help of some of the townsfolk including Ash and Dawn. By the time they were done, it was already about 8:30 p.m. with hardly anyone left in town. Ash followed Dawn and Johanna back to their home as they carried on a conversation about the couple's day. They stepped inside, setting their stuff down on the table in the living room. Dawn took a seat next to Ash, snuggling up to him with their Pokémon doing the same and Johanna sitting across from them.  
  
  
  
"So then what happened next?" Johanna asked Dawn.  
  
"Well, I led Ash over to a real nice spot where that lone cherry blossom tree was and told him how I felt, and he said that he really loves me so much and gave me all these gifts here." Replying back as she opened her bag, showing her mother the items she received from Ash.  
  
"Aww, how very thoughtful of him. They're all such wonderful gifts." She said, holding her hand against her right cheek while smiling.  
  
"They really are. He's so very sweet to me."  
  
"Dawn gave me this as a gift, and I gotta say that I really love it especially since it came from her." Ash held up his left arm, showing Johanna the watch he wore.  
  
"Oh, how very nice. It's very fitting for someone like you."  
  
"Even though what all he gave me was awfully thoughtful of him and all, I got something else that was just as unique and special as the rest. He…" She quickly blushed a cherry red before she finished. "He gave me my first kiss, and it was the best thing I've ever got in my life." Dawn finished, hugging Ash tight.  
  
"I could honestly say the same for myself. Neither of us had ever been kissed the way we did before, so to have shared it with your daughter for the very first time, it was really something special and unforgettable." He spoke softly, keeping his focus on his Sinnohian angel. Johanna felt like she was nearly gonna melt at the cute sight before her. Never in her life had she seen Dawn so happy to be with someone like Ash.  
  
"I'm sure it was. I remember my first kiss a long time ago. What a day, that was for me…" She trailed off as she looked up at the ceiling, reminiscing the day she received the same thing as her daughter for a brief moment before focusing back on the couple, looking in Ash's direction.  
  
"By the way, I know you've came all this way to see Dawn again, so I've already decided that you can stay here with us for as long as you like."  
  
"Wow, you really mean that? Thanks a bunch, Johanna. I really do appreciate that." Ash replied as he bowed to her. Dawn couldn't help but help but lean into him, nuzzling her face against his after having heard the good news.  
  
"You two sure do make the most adorable couple I've ever seen. I couldn't possibly feel any prouder that Dawn has somebody she can share her heart with, and if it's going to be anyone, then it might as well be you, Ash."  
  
"You're definitely right about that, mom, because I don't want no one else but him. He's all I ever need to keep me happy." Dawn said, taking Ash's hat off as she rubbed the top of his head. "I want to always remain by his side, no matter what."  
  
"Speaking of that, have you decided when you're gonna make use of those tickets? They only last until the end of this month, you know." Johanna questioned her daughter. Dawn stopped what she was doing and pondered for a little bit.  
  
"I'm not sure when I want to go, to be honest with you. I haven't really thought about that."  
  
  
  
Ash briefly looked at her and then started thinking about the question himself. Suddenly, an idea came to him and stared at Johanna.  
  
  
  
"Hey, let me ask you something, right quick."  
  
"Sure, go ahead, Ash."  
  
"This Alola region that you're talking about…Does it happen to have any gyms or a Pokémon League that Trainers can enter?"  
  
"Now that you mentioned it, there was word that they had recently established a Pokémon League at one of the other islands there. There aren't any gyms there, but they apparently have something called "Island Trials" that challengers can participate in. I bet I know why you're asking me this…" Johanna answered him, giving Ash a look that said she knew exactly what he was up to.  
  
"That's what I was hoping you'd say. I was thinking that…" He paused as he stared at Dawn, taking her hands into his before looking back at Johanna. "Since the prize Dawn won are tickets for two to the Melemele Island in Alola, she and I can go together. Not only that, but Alola can also be the next region I travel in."  
  
"Ah, so my assumption was correct, and that sounds like a swell idea. It almost seems like as if it were destiny for me to draw Dawn's name for that prize. Who would've guessed?" She chuckled at the thought of that.  
  
"Destiny or not, one thing's for certain, and that's the fact that this means I'll be able to go on another journey with Ash. There may not be any Pokémon Contests there, but I don't care about that. I just want to be with him and travel together throughout the region." Dawn said as she looked into Ash's eyes, who rubbed his nose against hers, making her giggle.  
  
"I'm sure you and Ash will have a very exciting time together. There's nothing better than getting to explore a brand-new part of the world with the one you love most." She said to the both of them, who nodded back at her.  
  
"I couldn't agree more, Johanna, but anyway. As far as when we could leave out, I figured we'll do that 3 days from now. That'll give us plenty of time to get ready and spend a bit of time here in Twinleaf Town together before we leave. What do you think of that idea, Dawn?"  
  
"I'm perfectly fine with that plan. We can take our time in making preparations for what we want to do when we get there and study up on a few things about each island and the Pokémon that live there. It'd help you a lot to be ready for those trials that they supposedly have."  
  
"That's good enough for me. It's settled, then. That's the plan we're sticking with." He said, feeling psyched as he did a double fist pump. Turning his head to the left, he looked at his long-time partner, who noticed his Trainer staring back.  
  
"Pikachu, it won't be much longer before you and I start on another new journey with a new challenge awaiting us. How do you feel about that?"  
  
"Pi, pikachu (You bet, I'm feeling excited)!" Chirped his partner Pokémon as he stood up, raising his fist in the air.  
  
"Buneary, bun (You're gonna do great, like always)!" Chimed the Rabbit, cheering for Pikachu as she gave him a hug.  
  
"That's the attitude, buddy! We'll rock the Alola region and win at the Pokémon League, this time! We came in second at the Kalos League, so let's aim for first place!"  
  
"You guys are gonna win the whole thing, someday! I just know you all will!" Dawn exclaimed.  
  
"You'll do great out there. You've got my support, Ash." Johanna added in, giving him a reassuring look. "Now, I'm sure you're wanting to freshen up after the exciting day you've had. Why don't you go ahead and do that?  
  
"If you really don't mind that, then sure. I'll go do that, now."  
  
  
  
He rose up from the couch, taking his backpack with him up toward the room he once stayed in. Unpacking his clothes and other belongings, he spread them out onto the bed, organizing them. He took his set of night clothes that he would wear with him including his towel, rag, and the remaining toiletries toward the bathroom that was located at the end of the small hallway. He stepped inside, locking the door behind him before he got undressed to take a shower. Turning the knobs until the water was lukewarm and the shower head began shooting out, he got in and washed as he thought about the day he had with Dawn. He thought back to when he first saw her again, the things they did together, and the kiss they shared. This truly was the best day he ever had, and now…he was getting the chance to travel with her again to a new region. He really didn't want to wait much longer to be on his way, but he wanted to be prepared for the trip ahead in addition to wanting to stay in Twinleaf Town, which reminded him very much of his own hometown. Thinking of that made him make a mental note to give Delia a call when he got the chance after taking his shower.  
  
Down below, Dawn and Johanna were having a private discussion with one another over Dawn's day. Johanna was curious about her newfound relationship with Ash so she decided to inquire her over a few things.  
  
  
  
"So, tell me. Just how much do you actually love Ash?" She asked her daughter out of curiosity.  
  
"Mom, I love him as much as anyone else in this world possibly could and more than there are stars in the night sky. You couldn't put a price on the love I have for him, no matter how hard you tried." Dawn answered back with confidence.  
  
"My goodness. You really have grown to loving him that much, I see."  
  
"Of course, I have. It's like I was mentioned on our way back home, I've been crushing on him for so long, and well…it's like what they say. As time goes on and distance widens, love grows, and that saying couldn't possibly be any more true."  
  
"You're absolutely right. It really is, and do you really see him as the only person you could ever love in your life?"  
  
"Without a doubt, he is practically the only person out of the millions of other guys in this world. There's no way I'd trade him for anyone or anything in the world. He's all I need, and no one else."  
  
  
  
Johanna didn't speak another word that time as she leaned back a bit against the soft chair and grinned.  
  
  
  
"Mom, is there any particular reason why you're asking me all of this about Ash and I?" Dawn's eyes locked in with Johann's, studying them. She simply shook her head and smiled at her.  
  
"I just…wanted to know how you really felt about some like him. Dawn, throughout all the years that I've raised you, I have never seen such happiness in you until he came around, and even more-so now that you and him are dating. Speaking out to you as your mother, I want to tell you that I support everything that you and Ash do together and that I fully trust him like I always have. It does my heart good to see you find somebody you feel the strongly about." She began to sniffle a little as a few small tears of joy escaped from her.  
  
"Oh, mom…I'm really happy that you support Ash and I so much. I really do thank you for that." She got up and went toward her, embracing her as she hugged back.  
  
"Dawn, don't you ever forget that, no matter where you are, okay?" Johanna could feel her nod and let go of her.  
  
  
  
The two carried on with a bit more of their conversation before Ash finally returned, having changed clothes and all. Then Dawn proceeded to get herself bathed and clothed while Johanna had made her way toward her bedroom. Leaving Ash by himself, he went to go grab the phone, calling his mother.  
  
  
  
"Hi, honey. I'm glad to see that you were able to make it over to Twinleaf Town." She greeted him as soon as she saw Ash and where he was located.  
  
"Hey, mom. Yeah, I made it here no problem. It had only taken three hours to get here."  
  
"I figured as much that it wouldn't be all that long of a trip. So…tell me about how it all went with Dawn. I'm so excited to find out."  
  
"Things couldn't have turned out any better than if I wanted to. I wasn't able to find her, at first, but I did, eventually, and man was she as happy as can be when she saw me again for the first time. We spent the day together, enjoying everything that there was to do at the festival." His face beamed so much as he was talking about this.  
  
"Aww, I knew she'd be completely thrilled to have seen you again, and what did she think of the Valentine gifts you got her?"  
  
"She absolutely adored them and told me that no one's ever gave her the things that I did as gifts before, and check out what she got me." Like before, Ash held his left wrist to show Delia his watch.  
  
"How delightful. Dawn must've came up with that idea at the last moment for the sake of not feeling like she couldn't give you anything in return." Delia said, hazarding a guess.  
  
"Well, you pretty much nailed that one, but to be honest, she didn't have to get me anything. The only gift I could have ever wanted on this day was Dawn herself. She's more than enough of a gift to me because all I needed was her love, which I most certainly got from her." Hearing this made his mother become completely giddy, bouncing up and down a little as she excitedly clapped her hands.  
  
"Oh, so she actually confessed to you? I just knew she would. This is very happy news to hear. I had been wondering if she told you that she loved you, yet."  
  
"Right, and I told her the same thing, and believe it or not, I actually got…my first kiss from her." Ash said, quieting his tone some during the last part of his sentence. This had brought a tear to Delia's eye.  
  
"My son…finally got his first kiss from the one girl he loves most. You were very lucky on this Valentine's Day, for sure."  
  
"I couldn't possibly feel any luckier. It was the most magical moment I ever shared with anybody, and I'm never gonna forget that. Speaking of lucky, I've decided on where I'm going to for my next journey."  
  
"Have you, now, and where will be heading to, next?"  
  
"Well, you see. Dawn entered this raffle thing and managed to win tickets for two to an all-expense paid trip to this tropical place called Alola, specifically to Melemele Island. When her mom, Johanna, told me that there was a Pokémon League that existed there and the things called "Island Trials" that I'm assuming are what would replace gym battles, I couldn't help but want to go there, and since Dawn just happened to have those tickets, that means I'll be able to go with her." He told her, getting excited all over again like before.  
  
"That sounds like so much fun, and not to mention pretty romantic, too. It's almost like as if you're going on vacation instead of another journey." Ash chuckled lightly at her reply and continued speaking.  
  
"Yeah, it does sound like that, huh? Anyway, I'm gonna be staying here in Twinleaf Town for three days before I leave. I wanna make sure that I'll be ready for anything when I do go to leave for that region."  
  
"I see. Well, good luck with your upcoming journey, Ash, and your new relationship with Dawn, as well. I hope the two of you will have an amazing time together, getting to travel with one another. You take care of yourselves, now, and tell Johanna I said hi."  
  
"Will do. You've got my promise. I'll talk to you again as soon as possible."  
  
"Okay, honey. Goodnight. I love you." She said, blowing a kiss to him.  
  
"Love ya, too, mom. Goodnight." He replied back, mimicking the same thing as she did.  
  
  
  
When the screen went blank, he walked toward the living room window, looking out at the star-filled sky. He thought about his upcoming trip and what he would do there. A new place…teaming with new Pokémon he had never seen, and getting to do all of this with Dawn…The young man's anticipation of the trip was as high as ever. A little later, he went back upstairs, running into Dawn after she had finished getting herself ready for bed. The two spoke for a bit before telling each other goodnight, sharing a quick kiss before they separated to their rooms, getting into bed and falling fast asleep from having been so tired with the day's events. They slept peacefully throughout the night as they dreamed pleasantly of the trip that they would be going on together.  
  
Over the next three days, Ash and Dawn spent their time together around the blunette's hometown, visiting different parts of the area and going on a couple of dates together. They had even stopped by Lake Verity, where Dawn had met the Lake Guardian, Mesprit, for the first time during the beginning of her Sinnoh journey. The legendary Pokémon actually appeared before them, waving them a hello as it recognized the duo from back when the crisis in Sinnoh was taking place due to Team Galactic's antics. When they weren't out and about with one another, they were at home, doing some research through Johanna's laptop on the Alola region. There were a lot of activities one could do there, from Mantine Surfing to joining in at the Festival Plaza. To their surprise, there were Pokémon there that appeared similar to the ones they've seen before but had their own kind of form due to being born in the region itself as well as how there were four islands and each one of them having their own Guardian and drawing out the power of what was known as Z (or Zenith) moves, which had obviously excited Ash much to Dawn's amusement.  
  
The three days passed by quickly as the day of their departure finally arrived that early morning. Everyone in the household had got up earlier than usual to ensure that Ash and Dawn could catch the plane that would leave for Alola sooner than the noon hour, getting themselves ready for the day. The two packed as much as they needed for their trip, making certain not to forget anything while Johanna was cooking downstairs. She called out to them as soon as breakfast was ready, setting their plates and whatnot on the table. They, as well as the couple, all sat down and ate away as they discussed about the trip itself before everyone had finished their meals about fifteen minutes later. Once they were done, the whole group made some last-moment preparations to make certain they hadn't forgot anything as well as freshen up a bit. When they were ready to leave, everyone left the household, getting into Johanna's car and was on their way toward the airport located far off in Sunyshore City. It had taken them awhile to get there, considering the fact the location was over toward the far side of the region, but they were able to make it to their destination by around 10:45 a.m.  
  
Finding an empty spot to park in, Johanna and the others got out of the car and went inside, heading to where the departure terminal was located. They located their terminal and proceeded to head through security, getting their bags checked and all before arriving at Ash and Dawn's designated gate. The group found themselves a place to sit at as they waited for the call for all passengers that were ready to board the next plane to Alola.  
  
  
  
"Well, this is it. It won't be much longer before we're on our way to Alola." Ash said to Dawn. She gave him a quick nod in reply.  
  
"I'm so excited to get this trip underway. I can only imagine how beautiful the islands are gonna be when we get there." Dawn happily sighed, imagining the sandy shores and sky blue ocean waves rolling in.  
  
"You two are going to have quite a blast, getting the chance to explore a whole new part of the world together." Johanna added in.  
  
"That's what's gonna make this even more incredible. Dawn and I will be getting to see all sorts of new things for the first time. There's no telling what sort of adventure awaits us out there. Right, Pikachu?"  
  
"Pika (Absolutely)."  
  
"And I'm gonna do everything I can to see to it that you'll make it to the Pokémon League by giving you even more support and cheering you on harder than ever."  
  
"Right, and you know I'm always willing to have you be my sparring partner for any upcoming major battles that I'll have to go through." Ash winked at her, earning him a wink back by the blunette.  
  
"This is the sort of chemistry that works so well between two people like you guys. You're always willing to help one another in some way and strengthen the other person, and considering the love and support you two have for each other, I have no doubt in my mind that everything's gonna turn out the way you guys are expecting."  
  
"You couldn't be any more correct about that, Johanna. With Dawn by my side, there's no way I can lose at the end. She's like my good luck charm."  
  
"Aww, Ash…" Dawn wrapped her arms around him, leaning her head against his shoulder. The Trainer looked down at her, giving her a small yet warm smile. Suddenly, they heard the employee by the gate make their announcement.  
  
"Attention, everyone! The plane for Alola is now accepting passengers! Please make your way over here if this is your flight!"  
  
"There's the call. You two head on up there, now." Johanna told them.  
  
"Right. We're gonna miss seeing ya, Johanna."  
  
"Yeah, we'll miss you, mom, but we promise to keep in touch with you, and Delia, too. I'm sure she'll be wanting to hear from Ash from time to time, too."  
  
"Indeed. I wish you both the best of luck out there during your travels, and Ash. I know I probably don't need to say it, but…please. Take very good care of Dawn."  
  
"If there's one promise I swore upon myself that I'd never break, it was to do just that. It might be just the two of us, this time, but I'm gonna see to it that she stays protected by any and all means. Besides…" He turned to her, enveloping her in his arms. "When you love someone who is practically everything to you, you'd do anything in the world to keep them safe." He planted a soft kiss on her lips to which she did the same on his. Johanna couldn't resist looking onward in awe, feeling very much reassured that her daughter was in capable hands.  
  
"As much I love to keep this up with you, Ash, we should really get going onboard before we end up missing our flight." Dawn said after having broken away from him. The young man chuckled back at her.  
  
"Yeah, you're right. We better go while we still can."  
  
  
  
The two turned and walked toward where the plane was, looking back at Johanna as they waved goodbye to her. She stood up from her seat, waving back at them as she watched them walk away from her until she couldn't see them amongst the crowd of people that were now filling in. Though she felt sad to see her daughter leave after having gotten used to her being around home so much, she knew how much she wanted all of this; to be on another journey and with her one true love, of all people. Her happiness, after all, was very important to her as her mother. She began to walk away, heading out toward the parking lot to drive back home.  
  
Onboard the plane itself, Ash and Dawn found their seats and sat down, getting themselves comfortable as they fastened their seat belts. They looked out the window, getting a quick view of Sunyshore City itself. The metropolitan area was bustling with as many people as ever and the technology as impressive as it was before. The two saw other multiple planes taking off or landing on the air strip, amazed by how large some of them were. A few minutes later, after the plane received its last few passengers, the door was shut as the flight attendant stepped forward, letting everyone know how long it would be until they would reach Alola as well as the usual safety guidelines and for everyone to enjoy their flight. No sooner after that did they feel the plane begin taking off, gradually picking up speed before it finally completely lifted off the ground, soaring into the skies above.  
  
Ash and Dawn immediately looked down, amazed by how high up off the ground they already were and getting to witness an incredible aerial view of Sinnoh below. They looked toward one another, giving the other an expression that basically said "We're going to have the best time ever together." Dawn leaned over toward her boyfriend, as much as her seatbelt allowed her to, lazily resting her arms across him. He reached around her body with his right arm, holding her as close to him as he could and took off her beanie, stroking the top of her hair. He looked out toward the window and fixed his gaze at no particular thing, thinking about the events that have transpired ever since he got to Sinnoh. Not only did he get to see Dawn again for the first time in two years, but he also managed to claim her heart, shared his first kiss with her, and now…he was getting to travel with her again to a place he had never explored before. What more could he possibly want, he had not a clue about that, but what he did know was that what awaited him and Dawn in the tropical region was bound to be full of surprises and excitement. This had truly had been the best few days of his life, and it was only going to get even better from here.  
  
  
  
"Alola, here we come!" He shouted within his mind, knowing that he and Dawn were in for their most grand adventure, yet.


End file.
